Bethlehem senior apartments evacuated, one injury

October 26, 2010|By Pamela Lehman and Tracy Jordan, OF THE MORNING CALL

One woman was taken to the hospital with minor burns after a pan of cooking oil caught fire, which she tried to douse with water, spreading the flames and causing the evacuation of her South Side apartment complex, Bethlehem fire officials said.

The fire happened around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday in the Bethlehem Housing Authority's eight-story apartment building for seniors on Fourth Street, said fire Commissioner George Barkanic.

He said one woman, in her 60s, received minor burns when she tried to put out the pan of burning oil, Barkanic said. The water spread the burning oil, injuring the woman. Her name was not immediately available.

She was taken to St. Luke's Hospital-Fountain Hill, Barkanic said.

The sprinkler system at the eight-story Andrew W. Litzenberger House, 225 E. Fourth St., extinguished the fire, but caused some water damage in the building, Barkanic said.

He said about three floors of the apartment building had to briefly be evacuated. Some residents on the second floor may still be affected while crews work to clean up water, he said.

Barkanic said the fire damage in the woman's apartment was minor.

Barkanic said overheated cooking oil should never be doused with water and recommended using a dry chemical fire extinguisher or placing a lid over the flames to try and contain them.